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You are here: Home / Advertising / Decrypting the Cryptic Price Tag: Lifehacker tip for Shopping

October 31, 2013 by: Lindsey D

Decrypting the Cryptic Price Tag: Lifehacker tip for Shopping

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Have you ever wondered why the price at your favourite store always seems to end in a $–.99? Or $–.97?

No, not really? You haven’t?   At least if you’re me, you haven’t.  But then I read about it in a recent(ish) Time article and started wondering.

The truth is that most retailers use a pricing system that demarcates their regularly priced items from their sale and clearance items. And it’s not always the items clearly identified under the convenient little “Sale!” sign. There is definitely method to big box store madness when it comes to pricing their goods and services.

The good news is you don’t need to speak twelve languages. Or have advanced degrees in math, religious studies, and art history from prestigious universities. Or be an International Man of Symbology Mystery to figure it out.

You just need to be extremely details-oriented and keenly interested in price tagging systems practiced by retailers across the country.  Or, if you’re not – you can just read along and reap the benefits from the fallen, and unsung, heroes that have blazed the price tag decoding trail ahead of us.

Namely, Lifehacker and The Consumerist. These are just two of many but they both have a number of the top companies that most of us are probably going to end up opening our wallet at over the next week.

What do I mean by decoding price tags?

As it turns out, stores have systems of using the last digits in the price to communicate whether it’s regularly priced, on sale, or even on clearance.

Lifehacker gives us a peek at these prices:

Name Regular Price Sale/Clearance Price
BJ’s Ends in .99 Ends in .00 or .90
Costco Ends in .99 Ends in .97 or .88 or .00
Gap/Old Navy Varies Ends in  .*7
Home Depot Varies Ends in .*6 or green tag
Sears Ends in .99 Ends in .88 or .97
Staples Ends in A, I, or P Ends in C or F
Target Ends in .*9 Ends in .*4, .*6, or .*8
Walmart Varies Ends in .44 (unconfirmed)

 

While you might not be interested in toting around these fun facts when deciding on your favourite Gap fashion, there is a good rule of thumb that can help you in the moment. If the price ends in anything beyond .99, you’re probably paying below full price for it.

You are now a Price Tag Ninja, go forth and save! Happy shopping, my friends!

1 comments
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That's interesting.  I guess it makes sense based on what I know about prices.  I know they always use the 99 cents to make an item appear cheaper.  $10 naturally seems to be more a lot more expensive than $9.99 when it is really just a penny difference.  As a frequent Costco shopper though, I'm going to have to keep my eyes peeled for the .88 and .00.  Thanks for passing on the information.

Hi there! I’m Lindsey

Hi there! I’m Lindsey

Someone once said to me: “You have to look after your nickels and dimes before you can save your … READ MORE

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